June 17 Ride Reports

[pooks]

Oh my gosh.

I was trying to close my eyes in terror and read at the same time.

Major congrats on that ride!

[SandyLS]

I started out at 6am this morning and did a a 15 mile hilly ride. I saw three deer, a bunny and a great blue heron being chased by several little birds. The local fire department was setting up to do a practice burn on an old farm house. I couldn't linger to watch, I had to get down to my parents (86 and 87 yrs young) house in time to fix breakfast for them. Sure glad I got up early to ride at 65 degrees as it got into the 90s later in the day here in Michigan.

[kelownagirl]

I have never posted my ride before but I hit lots of "firsts" so thought today might be a good day to do it.

First off - Pooks - good for you! You are right where I was 2 1/2 months ago. I did 10 km a few times a week, needed a break half way, and managed to average 20 kmh (on the flats). Since then, I have continued to ride 3-5 times per week, gradually increasing my distance and adding hills, and today I met several of my goals! You can do it too - it is SUCH an empowering feeling!

I am nowhere near the ability of many of these ladies but I am so happy to have accomplish the goals I have set so far.

I did my longest ride today - 83km (3 1/2 hours)

Managed to roll my odometer over the 1000 km mark (since the first week of April). Since my original goal was to ride 500 k by the end of June, I'm pretty pleased.

Did my fastest average speed today too - 26 kmh. Would have been 28 kmh if I didn't have to ride the challenging 3 km hill home at the end...

Managed to pass DH twice today - I've only done it once before. He's been cycling for 15 years and is ahead of me 99% of the time so I am stoked to do it at all.

Did my fastest downhill today too - 55.7 kmh. Still scary but becoming more exciting.

I can't wait until I have a road bike and clipless pedals. Should be able to increase my average speed then.

[mimitabby]

I have never posted my ride before but I hit lots of "firsts" so thought today might be a good day to do it.


I did my longest ride today - 83km (3 1/2 hours)

Managed to roll my odometer over the 1000 km mark (since the first week of April). Since my original goal was to ride 500 k by the end of June, I'm pretty pleased.

Hey congrats on the 1000KM Kewlona girl! I am trying to figure out if it's more fun to have kilometers than miles.
We did a club ride today; it was supposed to be 70-80 miles, but when we got there they said it was really 90, and I didn't want to do 90 miles today. there were big nasty clouds everywhere and as they told us about the ride (from the safety of a restaurant) it began to rain. 50 degrees and raining is not the best way to start a ride. My husband hates starting rides in the rain so we were both cranky and decided that 50 miles would be more than enough.
We went up this road where a lot of gravel trucks were hauling loads of gravel. The first incident was when one of these jerks thought it was funny
to blast his horn while passing each bicyclist (we were all on the side of the road, not in traffic, on the other side of the white line)
The next truck passed us peacefully, and my heart rate went back down. THe next guy thought he was funny too, and moved his giant vehicle as close to the side of the road as he could without crossing that white line. We know it wasn't because he was drifting because we watched as he did it to the next group further ahead.
after 10 miles on that nasty road; we turned and went into beautiful hilly country, in the foothills of the northern cascades.
We saw a deer with twin baby fawns, one bald eagle, one red tailed hawk
several horses, one with a new baby; some mules, some goats, a flicker, a hummingbird, and my husband ran over 4 slugs.
Meanwhile the climbs were long and gradual and the weather got worse (as in really raining ) the higher we got. at the 25 mile point, we reached a lodge where we all stopped and the other folks all went ahead and we decided to turn around.
Not 5 minutes into our descent it quit raining and never started again.
when we got into the flatter area, we tried out a new trail and managed to get in a metric century.
the girlparts etc feel great, i am totally bushed though. This was my first ride with my new bike straps (called Power Grips) which i will post about in a moment.

[hibiscus09]

Rut roh -- deviated from the training schedule and only rode 10 miles yesterday -- was supposed to do 25. I wasn't even tired -- just preoccupied because my hubby and son were finally arriving at the beach (a week later than me) and it was getting near time for them to arrive.

I'll do better this week as hubby will be riding with me. I enjoy it so much more with a partner in crime.

[mimitabby]

I'll do better this week as hubby will be riding with me. I enjoy it so much more with a partner in crime.

Yeah, me too!

[mtbdarby]

I did 25 miles today - my first road miles since my crash. I started off with an easy 5 miles of running errands (I love looking at the face of the bank teller when I hit the drive through on my bike ). Then it was the post office and home to drop off my back pack. From there I did an easy 10 miles in the blazing heat and wind. It felt like air blasting from an oven. My legs were fine, my arm not so fine. My hand, wrist and forearm got very sore afterwards. Later that night I did another very slow 10 miles with bf who is just starting out. We got caught in a little bit of a storm but made it home before it really hit.

I have one week before my tour starts and I have come to the sad realization that my arm is not going to be healed by then I'm off to try and sell my ticket and plan for next years ride.....

[Nanci]

Sorry to hear that, Dar. Where was your fracture again? The elbow?

Nanci

[mtbdarby]

Naw Nanc, I didn't break it. I sprained the whole thing - arm, wrist and hand. It doesn't really hurt much when I ride (except the thumb pad) but today it's killing me - hurts from the elbow to the hand. So I nixed my 40 miler I had planned. If I can't sell the ticket I'll give it a try and may spend quality time in the sag vehicle every day, but my ex gave me grief about picking up our son and I'm sure the one day I would have to pull him would be miserable.

The orthopedic dr told me if it's still giving me trouble in 6 weeks to come back in. He thinks I could have broken one of the small bones in my hand and it's just not showing up.

Went and saw the folks for Fathers Day today and had to endure the remarks "how do you keep falling off your bike?" "Do you need training wheels?", "why don't you take up a safe sport like badmitton?". UGGGHH

[Lise]

Went and saw the folks for Fathers Day today and had to endure the remarks "how do you keep falling off your bike?" ... UGGGHH

Answer: "Gravity. Duh!"
Let me guess. Not cyclists themselves?

Sending healing and painless best wishes. Those sprains can be frustratingly long in healing. L.

[Trek420]

Took the GT for a spin on Alameda Creek Trail, 18 miles flat. Weather was beautiful, trail not too crowded. On the way out, stressed, a little upset, angry (it's been a hard week at work, dear) on the way back, feeling better, watching families of ducks and geese, dodging the little chipmunks, saying hi and knod to the riders etc.

New wheels make enough of a difference that I may need new gears. I'm spinning and running out of high gears on the flats. Dang, this always happens, get new stuff, need new stuff.

Cycling's grand